Overview

Oh My Dog: How to Choose, Train, Groom, Nurture, Feed, and Care for Your New Best Friend

Calling the toughest canine questions!

Owning a dog is one of life's great joys, but sometimes the challenges it brings can make even the most devoted dog lovers panic, throw up their hands, or feel completely overwhelmed. Before you get to the end of your leash, turn to this friendly and relatable reference that's the next best thing to talking to a dog-owning friend who's seen it all.

In Oh My Dog, animal rights activist Beth Ostrosky Stern has compiled tips and invaluable advice from expertsand from her own experience as dogownerto sooth concerns, answer questions big and small, and help you and your dog get the most out of your relationship. From the moment you even consider getting a dog, to caring for your old friend when his puppy years are far behind him, Oh My Dog covers every angle of dog ownership, including:

? Which breeds would be good match for me?

? What do I look for in a vet?

? How do I make sure our first night together is as stress-free as possible?

? What activities will help me bond with my dog?

? Is my dog showing sign of illness?

? What should I know before I head to a doggie day care or park?

? How do I read pet food labels?

? What should I do in an emergency?

Choc full of informative side bars, questionnaires, to-do lists, and much, much more, Oh My Dog is the answer-filled field guide for anybody who owns a dog or is considering getting one.

Product Details

Editorial Reviews

Beth Ostrosky Stern's Oh My Dog is not just one of those fun reads tossed off by a celebrity about his or her adorable pet. Instead, this TV personality and animal-rights activist has crafted a truly comprehensive, user-friendly guide for anyone owning or planning to own a dog. The book addresses all the hot-button issues that any canine-lover will confront. The topics include finding the perfect breed for your lifestyle; adopting a pet; dealing with a puppy's fear of a new place; choosing the right vet; dog park etiquette; safety tips for traveling; safe doggie diets and supplements; developing a bond with your pet; and health issues.

Stern, North Shore Animal League America spokesperson and Long Island Bulldog Rescue member (and wife of radio personality Howard Stern), has written a comprehensive guide to dog ownership. Every aspect of companion animal care is covered, beginning with selecting a purebred puppy from a breeder or an older dog from a shelter and concluding with end-of-life considerations. Training, behavior, grooming, bonding, health maintenance, and nutrition are explained in minute detail. Stern's chatty tone and language can be easily understood by inexperienced owners. She is not a veterinarian, behaviorist, trainer, or groomer, but her passion for dogs has led her to amass a great deal of knowledge, and she draws on and cites her extensive network of experts to validate her assertions. VERDICT An excellent resource for patrons that complements Ian Dunbar's Before & After Getting Your Puppy and Kristin Mehus-Roe's The Original Dog Bible. Highly recommended. [For more dog-training guides, see Kristine Alpi's Short Takes, LJ 4/15/10, p. 101.—Ed.]—Florence Scarinci, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Oh My Dog: How to Choose, Train, Groom, Nurture, Feed, and Care for Your New Best Friend 2.9 out of 5based on
0 ratings.
47 reviews.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I had trouble with my dog not doing what he was told ,so I read the book tryed some of the suggestions in the book and it really helped.
Thanks Beth for doing the research.

SpookyToast

More than 1 year ago

While I feel some of the reviews here are meant more to insult the author because she is married to Howard Stern. The book is meant to help people who own dogs or want to own one. Most of the information has been said in other dog expert books. Nothing in this book is new information. Its more information repeated before. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are an experienced dog owner. If you are a novice I would recommend it but there are other books out there that are just as good.

Elizabeth36

More than 1 year ago

On one hand, the negative reviewers dislike the book based on premise rather than substance. That is to say, they dislike the fact that the author seems to be putting out a product to further her cause (the NSAL) and to make money. I'm all for someone making money by selling a product, but they do have a point in that the NASL is a pretty low-rated charity. .
On the other hand, there are obviously planted pro-reviews which all seem to ding the same bulleted talking points (i.e. she never claimed to be an expert) and ignore the fact that the book is only 2 days old, and yet they have not only already read the book cover-to-cover, but have also implemented the advice given in the book and seen results. Its either an amazing book that will let you see results so quickly, or someone's lying about having read and/or implemented said advice.
I have to admit, the reviews have piqued my interest in purchasing the book yesterday, and, after reading a substantial portion of the text, I rate this a definite pass (as in try something else). The book reads like it was written by Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde in that there was minimal attempt to blend the writing styles of the two authors. The so-called "tips" in the book are somewhat interesting at times, but I found it odd that there is a lot (too much for my taste) of steering the reader into purchasing products in which they apparently share some monetary benefit to the authors.
The book seems hastily written and thrown out to the public in the intent of solely providing revenue streams for the authors. Sadly, I feel that the negative reviewers are more correct in their assertions than the positive reviewers and the "advice" given in the book is nothing more than what anyone with access to the internet can find on a common search engine

phillyguy1701

More than 1 year ago

Very informative book for dog owners with questions.I bought an extra copy as a mothers day gift.

Kingofall

More than 1 year ago

If you've ever heard Beth talk about animals, you'd completely understand the passion she has for animals. She spent over a year working, writing and compiling this book to help people care for their animals/dogs. If you need a guide to lead you tru the bumps and bruises that come with dog care, this book is for you. All haters need not apply.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

It seems that ALL of the negative reviews written here are more personal attacks on Beth than actual reviews. I doubt any of these alleged reviewers read her book, or can read.

J_Sash

More than 1 year ago

Simply put, this book is filled with valuable information regarding dogs. Some of the information you might need, some you wont. But the information inside I found to be very insightful.
The 1 star reviews seems to be coming from people who haven't read the book. These people are attacking the author for who's she's married to and claiming that its a shameless attempt at making money. I'm no expert on her husband, but isn't he one of the highest paid entertainers in the United States? So why would she need to write a dog book to make money? This just goes to show you how absurd these people are who haven't read the book.
All I can say is that I think the information in the book is valuable info and would benefit many dog owners. Try finding a review from a qualified reviewer, because the independent reviews online are misleading and actually have nothing to do with the content inside the book!

Piano

More than 1 year ago

I especially like the mini box columns throughout all the pages that say 'What does it mean when my dog,...?' great questions and astute answers. I especially like the chapters on Nutrition and Health. Written very well, easy flow and a cozy read while you're learning a ton! I learned so much about how to read nutrition labels, different types of vets, health symptoms and what it could be plus CPR and emergency care. Many helpful web site addresses offered throughout the chapters that you would never think to look up, this is very beneficial and I highlighted all of them. This book covers everything from 'You're getting a dog, to Training, Grooming, Health, Nutrition, Emergency and Loss' all chapters are packed with helpful information that you don't find in other books. A must read for newly and existing dog owners!!!

Kaitlin Meiners

More than 1 year ago

this book is amazing and it said all i need to know about my new best friend, my chihuahua peanut.